Further measures

The use of low-emission technologies

Under its climate program, Bayer wants to ensure maximum reductions in greenhouse emissions throughout all the relevant corporate divisions. Bayer Business Services is therefore deploying a range of new low-emission technical solutions for the vehicle fleet, in tele-conferencing and at the data centers. The first results are already in evidence.

Bayer Eco Fleet: low-emission company vehicles

Bayer is introducing lower-emission vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from its vehicle fleet.

Bayer aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions resulting from its company vehicles by 20 percent between 2007 and 2012. The introduction and more widespread use of company cars with consumption-optimized engine technology and alternative drive systems (e.g. hybrid) will result in a reduction of around 10 percent in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2009 compared with the end of 2007.

Bayer Business Travel: state-of-the-art video conferences

Management Board member Dr. W. Plischke (front right) and the Head of Bayer’s North American region G. Babe (3rd from right) hold a meeting to inaugurate the first two telepresence rooms in Leverkusen and Pittsburgh.

The use of the latest video-conferencing facilities provides attractive ways of compensating for the drawbacks of teleconferences. Delegates to a video conference can now be seen on the screen in life size, thus creating a realistic environment for a meeting that allows not only verbal communication but also gestures. Unless the physical presence of delegates is absolutely mandatory, the provision of telepresence rooms can now eliminate the need for long journeys to attend meetings. Bayer has set up its first telepresence rooms with the latest video technology at its corporate headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany, and at its sites in Lyon, France; Monheim, Germany; and Pittsburgh and Raleigh, United States.

Bayer Green IT: energy-efficient data centers

Modern server rooms: The roof over the aisle prevents cooling air from escaping.

By 2012 Bayer wants to implement a range of measures to reduce energy consumption in its data centers at the Leverkusen headquarters, in Pittsburgh, United States, and in Singapore by 20 percent. These include energy-saving programs in the installation of servers and in the use of computers as well as a reduction in the use of paper.

For instance, to make the best possible use of the air stream required for the cooling of computer chips, computers are positioned in such a way that cold and hot air are mixed as little as possible. Also, the consumption of cooling power is reduced through the use of specially encased server cabinets. As a result of these measures, energy requirements at the data centers have been halved. Further effects have been achieved through energy-saving configurations of computers and monitors, the controlled use of energy-saving functions and economizing on the use of paper for printing.